Year One
by robisbetterinharrypotter
Summary: The story of Harry Potter's life before his parents deaths starting with their marriage .
1. Chapter 1

Lily Evans stared into the mirror across her. Her mind was spinning with thoughts of her upcoming dinner engagement with James Potter. She had known him for what- eight years now, and just realized how wonderful a wizard he was.

Lily crossed her tiny room and slid open the closet to search for something to wear. What would she wear? A sleek black cocktail dress or a navy blue high-waisted skirt with a ruffled button down shirt? After all, she had never been to Remy's before. From the reviews in the Muggle papers and the feedback from her parents, it was the high quality, classy French restaurant settled into the very heart of London.

She slipped on the black dress and, after coming to no decision as to what to do with her long red hair, clipped it back. Lily chose her favorite black heels, and settled on not breaking her neck while going down the stairs and pushed the button to the elevator. She looked around at the meticulously arranged hallway with its marble table and various orchids. She had bought a one-bed one-bath condo just outside of London after she had left Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, since Petunia still lived at home.

James, on the other hand, had already bought a house in Godric's Hollow, right across the street from Bathilda Bagshot, the famous magical historian. He had already started his training as an Auror alongside Sirius Black, but Lily couldn't deny the fact she was terrified by the thought of him coming face to face with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Even the thought of all the Aurors in the world against You-Know-Who sent chills down her spine.

Lily set down the street at a brisk pace, making sure that no one should see her. She turned left into a dark, quiet, and rather smelly alleyway, where she often Disapparated so Muggles wouldn't notice the disappearance of a woman into thin air.

She reappeared on an unlit street corner. There was not a sliver of moon in the dark blue that settled as a backdrop against the city lights of London. Big Ben was like a giant lighthouse, looming out of the fog, illuminating those around it. The early summer air was cool but not humid; just right for a romantic night on the town.

Lily walked a block towards the general direction of their meeting spot, at the intersection of Sycamore Avenue and Willow Street. As she walked several more, she thought it would have been better to Apparate straight there. After all, who would see her, in the mobs of tourists and the commotion of the city? Lily tried to find James in the swarm of happy faces all around her for ten minutes until she bumped into a man and dropped her purse. She knelt down to pick it up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Oh, no,- James, I've been looking for you forever!" chastised Lily as she stood up. "Oh, um, I just had a little errand to run for Dumbledore, and—."

"Ooh, what kind of errand?" asked Lily.

"Oh, something for the Order, you won't miss it at the next meeting."

"Why can't I hear it now?"

"Because."

Lily put her hands on her hips and showed an exaggerated pout.

"Because I love it when you're mad." James grinned.

"I don't know how many times you've said that." Lily smiled too.

James embraced her and their lips touched. Lily hadn't felt this relieved since, well, since they could last go out together, just themselves. She felt like she had been juggling bricks, and had finally dumped them on the floor. All the stress of her family, her two jobs, the Order of the Phoenix, and You-Know-Who himself left her with little sleep at night.

As they walked toward the Remy's, they tried to catch up with each other.

"So how's training been going? Are you and Sirius keeping up?

"Yup. We're doing Disguises now. How's the BS going?"

Lily giggled at their little joke. She was a secretary (for now) for Arnie Crawford, one of the wizards who was part of the International Confederation of Wizards, British Seats. "Yeah, the British Seats are going pretty well. In fact, the whole world is going pretty well, except for the fact that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is taking over the wizarding world!"

"Shh, I don't want to ruin our night discussing what we will at the meetings. Tonight will just be you and me," said James.

"Okay." Lily murmured.

Lily found the restaurant to be quite enjoyable, with tall, wide wooden doors, fancy windowpanes, candles, and of course, the mouth-watering French cuisine. But her attention that night was focused on the man sitting across her.

"So, have you heard anything from Lupin yet?" asked Lily.

"No, but Dumbledore thought he had gone into hiding. Things aren't going well for werewolves, either," explained James.

"How about Peter? What's he been up to lately?"

"Eh," James shrugged, "he's got his own place in Birmingham. I see him every morning. He works in the Floo Network Authority, remember?"

"I remember."

"I think the five of us, no- Hagrid too, should get together at my place sometime. We hardly see each other out of work and the Order."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Oh yeah-Sirius was out the other night, and a modeling agent happened to come across him."

"Yeah? Did he sign a contract?" Lily giggled. The idea of Sirius modeling for Muggles seemed pretty ridiculous. "Not yet. But you know what that means?" James asked. Lily shook her head. "Well, you could quit your Muggle job. That way we can have more time to spend together," James answered himself. For the past few years, when You-Know-Who became more and more powerful, it was hard to get Muggle money, which wizards and witches had become dependent on. They used it to buy their houses or pay the rent, buy food from the Muggle market (after all, where would they get it from?) or paying the various Muggle bills and taxes (they still lived in England, and had to deal with the government taxes). Using Muggle money made them look more normal than paying for their groceries with a large gold Galleon. When Lily bought a condo, she took up a second, Muggle job in a coffee shop, and worked there three times a week. Although there were a many wizards who relied on Exchangers, or so they called them, to cash in wizard money for Muggle money, Lily did not want to take the risk. James, however, did. They took in Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, shipped them to a foreign country where You-Know-Who was less powerful, where they exchanged them for their Muggle currency, and shipped it back to England, where it will be exchanged from Muggle dollars to Muggle pounds (or something similar). It was a very long process.

Lily contemplated it. It was very inviting. But she couldn't put Sirius in that kind of danger. Even though modeling was relatively easy (or so it looked), but if Sirius were caught- she didn't want to think about it. "No, James, I need that job to keep my condo. Besides, I couldn't put Sirius in that kind of danger."

"C'mon, you don't need your condo, you can move in with me!"

"Nice try, James."

"No, I'm totally serious. And then I could see you more often!"

Lily laughed. "I'll tell you if I'm having any financial troubles." But when she actually thought about it, Lily didn't know when she would be with James like this again.

"Hey Lily, have you ever tried escargot? I dare you to try one," James grinned boyishly. "I will if you will," Lily giggled. As the waiter approached the table with a hot plate of escargot, Lily began to have her doubts about the dish. It was still in its shell!

"Okay, we're going to eat this on the count of three," said James. Lily lifted it up and scrutinized it. She placed it in her mouth, and was seized by an immediate desire to spit it out and wash her mouth with soap. It wasn't that it tasted bad, no, it tasted like garlic and butter. It was the mental dislike of having a snail in your mouth. She choked the chewy little piece down and realized that James was having the same trouble, and was coughing while growing red in the face.

"Well, who knew you could find that in your backyard!" said James. Lily laughed. She picked up another piece, and, against her better judgment, ate it. "See?" Lily said, "it's not all that bad. After getting around the fact that it's a snail."

Their date went on, and Lily found herself wishing it would last forever. But she did not know when she would see him next. "So when do I get the honor of seeing you next?" asked James. Lily snapped out of her trance and was surprised James was thinking the exact thing she was. They settled on a park bench in a little park, and James put his arm around her and pulled her closer. "Oh, I don't know, maybe a week or two. When I'm less busy."

"The thing is, I don't want to wait two weeks. I don't want to wait until the next Order meeting." Lily stared into his hazel eyes and searched for what he was getting around to. James clasped her hands in both of his. "I want to see you in the morning when I wake up, and watch the sun go down with you. I have lived a life that any man, Muggle or wizard, would die to have. And it's all because of you." James knelt on one knee and pulled out a small box. "Lily Evans, will you marry me?"


	2. Chapter 2

So this is the second installment of my first fanfiction. I've got lots of hw and plenty of other stuff to do, but my New Year's resolution is to write more, so yeah. And if I get more reviews, I'll write more, quicker. That's my deal. :)

* * *

On a late, warm, breezy October afternoon, the doors to a large, golden tent flapped in the wind. Lily had chosen a small meadow not far off from Godric's Hollow, as James' backyard was too small, even for a relatively small wedding. There were small dressing rooms on either side of the tent, and Lily sat in one of them.

She wore a simple, strapless gown, with a long train. Her long auburn hair was parted to the side and done up in an elegant bun. "Almost ready, Lily?" Mrs. Evans opened the flap-door and stuck her head in. "Mum, we've been over this a thousand times. Of course I'm ready. I've been waiting for this day for a very long time." Lily sighed, turning around.

"Are you sure, Lily? You're still very young. Your father and I didn't get married until we had a house and everything. We were thirty-two when we got married." Mrs. Evans entered the room. "You worry too much. James has a house, we both have steady jobs, and you forgot—wizards don't need to go to college," said Lily.

"I still think you're rushing it, even the tiniest bit."

"If there's any reason for rushing, it's because of You-Know-Who. Who knows if we'd ever get the chance to be married if we wait any longer," Lily sighed.

"Very well. Let's get on with it. Something old. Your grandmother's necklace," said Mrs. Evans, as she fastened the thin gold chain on a necklace with two intertwined hearts, laid with red rubies. "Something new. Where's that bracelet that James gave you? Oh, there it is," she reached for a purple jewelry box and opened it. Inside lay a silver charm bracelet, but with only two charms. One was a phoenix, with deep amber eyes, and the other, a doe and a stag, with glittering diamond eyes. Mrs. Evans handed it to Lily, who fastened it on her left wrist. "Something borrowed. Oh, I think Alice and Emmy went back to the house to get it," said Mrs. Evans. Lily stood up and peeked out the flap-door. Two figures in white dresses, one short and one tall, walked over to her. Lily had chosen Alice Longbottom and Emmeline Vance as her bridesmaids, as both were childhood friends and fellow members of the Order of the Phoenix. Alice, the shorter one, handed Lily the blue box then accompanied Emmy to the mirror for some final touches. Lily opened the box. "Oh, Alice, these are wonderful! They even match the ring!" Lily exclaimed.

"See, I told you she would like it," Emmy elbowed Alice. Alice blushed.

"They belonged to my mother-in-law. She doesn't have any daughters, so she gave it to me." Alice explained. Lily turned to the mirror and put on the earrings, which had a little half-moon dangling from the end. "And don't forget, something blue," said Emmeline as she tapped Lily's fingers with her wand. They turned a shimmering, pale blue. "And now we wait," said Lily.

Soon enough, Mrs. Evans called Lily to the tent. Music started floating from the inside. Lily met her father, who opened the tent and started walking her down the aisle.

* * *

"I do," said Lily.

"Then I now pronounce you wizard and wife," declared Humphrey Hawkes, the wizard priest. He waved his wand, and miniature fireworks exploded around the room. Everyone stood up and clapped for the newlyweds, even Petunia and Vernon, who were nice enough to show up. Everyone filed outside, and where there was just a long expanse of just grass and wildflowers a few hours ago, there were tables and chairs surrounding a dance floor, and a quartet at one end. When everyone had found a seat, toasts were made, and then waiters filed in from a flap at the other end of the tent. After dinner was served, Lily and James got up and walked towards the dance floor. The quartet started playing a sweet, loving melody that they had picked out earlier.

Lily gazed into James' eyes as they swayed across the dance floor. Round, glassy orbs, they seemed to devour her. James took in everything, from the curl of that strand of hair behind her ear, to the necklace from her mother, to the slippery dance floor under his shoes, as if to remember that moment forever. The whole world disappeared, all the guests, and the music turned muffled, as if he hid his head under a pillow. All he felt was Lily, warm and sweet, moving with him, and a complete, blinding happiness.

All of a sudden, like the times he would fall asleep in class and flinch when his head slipped off his hand, they landed with a thud on Earth again. The floor was occupied by several couples by now, several songs later. James guided Lily to a table.

Someone behind them sniffled. Mrs. Evans hugged her daughter when she turned around and then sat herself and her husband next to the newlyweds.

"I always wondered what the day my baby girl got married would be like," she sobbed as she drew out a handkerchief. "And I never knew I could miss her from ten feet away."

"Mum, don't be ridiculous, I'll visit you, every week," Lily comforted her mother. Then Lily started crying. "Shh, Lily, don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup," Mrs. Evans was handed another handkerchief James conjured. "It's just that you and Petunia grew up so fast. It was just yesterday that I held you in my arms."

When Lily stopped crying, Mr. Evans clapped James on the back. "Well, good luck, kid. Take care of her, okay? I don't want to hear any weird bibbidi bobbidi boo stuff going on and then carting her off to the hospital, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good."

They turned to Lily, who had finally gotten her mother to stop crying. "Well, I guess I'd better go see how Petunia's doing before I start this over again. I love you, honey," said Mrs. Evans, glancing at a table with Petunia, Vernon and a few cousins. She hugged Lily and James, and started over to Petunia and Vernon. Mr. Evans hugged his daughter and shook James' hand. "That's my daughter you're taking home, take care of her," he reiterated before following his wife.

The night continued, and the couple was bombarded with congratulations and well-wishers. They danced a few dances, and talked to a few relatives. Some of the older people left, but most stayed late into the night.

A waiter passed by, and James snatched two glasses of wine off the tray and handed it to Lily. He took a sip, then hauled Lily onto his lap and put his arms around her waist. She giggled and pecked his cheek. "Hmm. Mrs. Potter. I like the sound of that." James whispered into her ear.

Lily wrapped her arms around James' neck and kissed him passionately.

"Me too."

* * *

PLEASE REVIEW!! THANKS!! :)


	3. Chapter 3

hey. it's been a while since I've uploaded, hasn't it? i've actually had this one more or less done for a while, except for the ending. well now its finished and you can enjoy!

ps i dont own this.

* * *

Lily plunged into the Black Lake. She fought against the water that held her down, but it was no use. As she sank toward the bottom, water filled her lungs as she gasped for air. Something tightened around her stomach and threw her high, until she landed on the grass. Her lungs filled with cold, stinging air, as Lily coughed up water.

A thin, snakelike face leaned over, swaying in and out of focus in Lily's bloodshot eyes. It stepped back, turned around, and said something that she could not understand in her disoriented state of mind. A flash of green lit the sky, and Lily screamed.

Lily screamed and thrashed in her blankets, and woke James up. She was drenched in sweat, her stomach doing back flips, and the sheets were wrapped around her like a straightjacket. Once James got her to stop rolling around, she started crying nonstop. The tears started flowing, a river streaming down her face. James tried to comfort her, but that only succeeded in making her cry more. When she stopped crying enough to speak, she sat up straighter.

"What happened?" James asked.

Lily opened her mouth as if to say something important. She closed it, then opened it again and frowned. She closed her mouth, and her stomach clenched. She bolted to the bathroom and knelt over the toilet, heaving up her insides as if there were no tomorrow. James followed her with a towel in his hand.

James stood behind her, holding her hair back and pressing a damp towel to her forehead. "I think we should go see Dr. Kraus today, maybe he can figure out what's going on," said James. Finally, Lily stopped long enough to wipe her mouth.

"The sooner, the better. I'll just take a shower first."

"Are you sure?"

Lily nodded.

"Tell me if you need any help, okay?" James asked, and Lily nodded again.

* * *

Dr. Demetrius Kraus wasn't really a doctor. Or a Healer, for that matter of fact. But he was raised by a Muggle doctor and a Healer for parents, and that was good enough. Whenever the magical community had a wound or affliction to be treated, he would examine them and then refer them to either a Muggle doctor or a Healer at St. Mungo's.

He brought the Potter's into his office, and located his address book with the names of all the professionals he referred his clients to. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I would highly suggest you visit the Weasleys. They can tell you all you need to know about your, er, issues," as he copied down the address of the Weasleys.

* * *

Sharp winter air stung Lily's nose as she Apparated next to James, just outside the Weasley house. As they trudged through the knee-deep snow, she saw that they were heading toward a rickety wooden house, several stories high. A thick blanket of snow smothered the garden, where a few dead bushes could be seen poking their gnarled fingers out of the snow.

A short, stout woman with rose-red hair answered the door. The second thing Lily noticed was a fairly large bump in her stomach. Her hair had a streak of premature gray, probably due to several banging noises upstairs followed by shrieking children. "Hello, we're looking for Molly Weasley," said James. "Dr. Kraus told us to come to you."

"That's me; why don't you step inside and have a cup of tea?"

* * *

James' jaw hung open for a good minute before he finally became aware of his surroundings. He simply couldn't process what he had just been told.

"Wait. You're telling me…that Lily is…that I am…I'm going to be…a father."

"There's no doubt about that, Mr. Potter," replied Mrs. Weasley.

Lily glanced at James for a second before she practically exploded with happiness. James grabbed her a pulled her in close for a long embrace, then gave her a quick kiss. "So when is she due?"

Mrs. Weasley walked over to a Celestina Warbeck calendar on the wall and flipped through the pages, muttering to herself. "I'd say…within the first week of August. Congratulations!"

* * *

By the time the pair had Apparated back to Godric's Hollow, Lily was shivering from the cold. Or was it excitement?

James unlocked the door and they stepped inside, wiping their feet on the mat. Lily went upstairs while James started a toasty fire in the fireplace. She came back down a few minutes later and made two cups of hot chocolate. Lily placed one on the coffee table and then sat on the sofa. James sat beside her and put his arm around her, while she put her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. He kissed the top of her head and whispered to Lily.

"Baby makes three."

* * *

I'm almost done with the next chapter, I just have to think of a better ending.

reviews?


	4. Chapter 4

Right now i'm having a lot of trouble writing for my other story so I decided to upload this one. I've had this done for a month or so but I never really published it because I'm lazy. enjoy!

* * *

Lily snatched a quill, some ink, and some loose parchment off her desk in the office and stuffed them into a small messenger bag. She went downstairs, grabbed a covered dish from the kitchen counter, and met James in the front, where he was putting his winter boots on.

"Ready?"

"Almost…there. Let's go."  
The couple walked to the end of the lane, and looked around quickly before Disapparating with a pop. They reappeared a block from Headquarters, and once they arrived, they knocked on the door. A small crack in the door appeared, and a short, round-faced woman stuck her head out. Her eyes lit up and her mouth stretched into a wide grin that showed all her perfect little teeth. "Lily! Oh, good, you two made it just in time. Oh, wait, I forgot; what did I lend you on your wedding day?"

"Half-moon earrings."

A tall, worn man appeared at the doorway before James and Lily could step in. "Wait— James, who was the kid who punched you in the nose after you hit him with the furnunculus curse?"

"Calvin McLaggen."

The man stepped aside and followed the short woman down the hall and into a large dining room. James closed the door and then followed Lily to the dining room, where he sat next to Hagrid. Lily placed the dish in the kitchen, then sat to James' right, next to the short woman, Alice Longbottom. Alice had announced her pregnancy two meetings before, and she already had the slightest hint of a baby bump.

Albus Dumbledore, who was at the head, brought his hands together and looked down the table. Without saying a single word, silence bloomed outward from him immediately, flowing out like a ripple. He started "The focus of today's meeting will be Death Eaters. Now, as you all know, Death Eaters are the minions of Lord Voldemort," a shudder went through the rest of the room, but did not seem to affect the speaker. "For they only carry out the less important jobs of his. Only the most important of people are attended to by Lord Voldemort himself…."

The meeting went on, and Lily, who had taken out her quill, ink, and parchment, began writing furiously, taking notes. While maybe not the most productive meeting yet, they had gotten much done by the end. When it was over, Alice her husband Frank, as hosts of the meeting, disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with several dishes that other members of the Order of the Phoenix had brought.

James stood up and cleared his throat, and the rest of the Order quieted down. "Before we start dinner, I would like to make an announcement," James said. He held Lily's hand tenderly as she stood up, and put his arm around her shoulder. "We have just learned this week that Lily is pregnant."

The table erupted with applause, and Sirius whistled. Lily smiled lovingly at James and they sat down. Alice hugged Lily "I'm so happy for you! Do you know when it's due?"

"Mrs. Weasley said the end of July or the beginning of August."

"Our children will be in the same year at Hogwarts then!"

"Maybe they'll be in the same house! Have you done anything for the room yet?"

"Not much. We're going to paint it eventually. I don't really know what the design would be, but Frank and I have several ideas. And then we have to get furniture and the clothes and blankets and so many other things. It's really blown my mind how much stuff we have to do."

"That's true. I still can't wrap my head around the thought of having a child now."

"Especially with You-Know-Who," Alice paused to pass the dinner rolls on to Lily. "Would you like to help us paint the room? It'll be a while before we start, but I know we would need help. We could help you decorate when you're ready, too."

"Just tell me and James and I can come over. We should also go to buy the furniture together. It'll be so exciting!"

When dinner ended, everyone got their coats and scarves and left. Lily and James Apparated back to Godric's Hollow and walked up the steps to their house, arm in arm. James fumbled for his keys in the cold. Lily looked up at him. She embraced him and whispered "You'll make a wonderful father." And she kissed him.

* * *

I hope you like it. If you have an account, it would be quite kind of you to review (please?). Also, don't expect anything new from this story anytime soon becuase I have no idea of where to go from here. Subscriptions are also welcome.


	5. Chapter 5

**okay so lately i've been carrying around a composition book to school and i pretty much write anywhere (while i'm serviceworking, in the car, in bed, while watching TV), just basically when i don't have my computer with me. i'm sorry the chapters are so short, they seem so much longer in a composition book. i got the composition book because BeckettSimpleton reviewed and asked that I don't abandon the story (thanks, your reviews keep me going!)**

**also, thanks to the person mentioned above for helping me by requesting ideas for the next chapter (it's not quite what you asked, but i did what i could)**

**enjoy! :)**

* * *

James repeated Dumbledore's words in his head several times before he could comprehend any of its meaning.

"Parents who had thrice defied him…." Lily and James had battled the Dark Lord briefly before. James struggled to remember. It was at Gringotts, then Hogsmeade, then at the house of a Death Eater.

"Born as the seventh month dies..." James counted quickly in his head: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. January, February, March, April, May, June, July. His heart sank. Mrs. Weasley had said the baby was due late July or early August. Early August? Perhaps with luck the child would be born in August.

Any inkling of hope was then smothered when James remembered the final part. "Neither can live while the other survives…." James glanced at Lily and saw her still staring at Dumbledore incredulously. James made eye contact with Frank Longbottom, who was also peering over his pregnant wife's head at his companion. James thought, surely no child would last against the most powerful Dark wizard in the world.

* * *

"Lily, calm down," James followed his wife into their cottage and shut the door to the sharp February air. Lily stormed into the living room and tore off her scarf, throwing it next to the tidy row of shoes. She forcefully sat herself on the couch and attemped to take her winter boots off without unlacing them, to no avail. "Dammit!" she screamed, and stomped her foot on the rug. Tears of frustration filled her eyes.

James took off his coat and boots. He made some coffee for him and Lily, then brought the mugs to the couch where Lily was staring into the fireplace, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Here, have some coffee," James took a sip out of his mug.

Lily stared back at her husband, her eyes empty and her face hollow, still glistening with tears. "I don't want your coffee."

"Come here." He offered his arms for an enveloping embrace, but she refused. James wrapped her in a warm bear hug, the only place Lily had ever felt safe in. Until now.

"No," Lily pushed against James' chest feebly. "No, no, no, no, NO!" Lily screamed, her dark red hair swinging back and forth. She struggled against his embrace, but he held on and attempted to calm her. James stroked Lily's hair and tried to rub her back but she would not allow it.

"Let me GO!" she screamed, pulling free. Lily, always so calm and collected, went into distressed-mother-psycho-mode and began taking her anger out on the wall.

James sucked in a huge breath of air. "Lily Evans Potter! You stop that right now before you hurt yourself or the baby!" Lily turned back at her husband, almond-shaped green eyes wild. Her hair had become frazzled and stringy. She resembled a feral cat.

"There won't BE any baby!" She picked up her boot and flung it at him with surprising strength. James dodged it and then pulled out his wand, ready to flick aside anything else that might come flying towards him.

Exhausted, Lily finally plopped onto the floor and started crying. James sat next to her to add comfort. He hugged her, rubbed her back and shoulders, kissed the top of her head. "Lily, Lily, shh…Dumbledore has his ways, he'll hide us….Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard, you know."

"You-Know-Who is a powerful wizard too, you know," replied Lily in a bitter tone.

"But Dumbledore is even more powerful than that. And good always triumphs over evil."

"Says who?" Lily sniffed.

A long silence followed, until James spoke again. "You know, there's always a chance that You-Know-Who would be the one to die."

"Yeah? When's the last time a baby survived the Killing Curse and defeated the most powerful Dark wizard of all time?"

* * *

**teehee, i'm watching the oscars. a bit upset that How to Train Your Dragon didn't win for animated film and original score. If you're weird like me, i suggest you listen to the score. Romantic Flight and Forbidden Friendship and Where's Hiccup? are my favorites. okay, less rambling.**

**i already have the next chapter typed up and the one after that halfway done. shall i update this week? or should i wait 'til the weekend? (i'm planning on updating every weekend-i hope)**

**review or subscribe if you want it up by like, tuesday or wednesday. or tomorrow. **

**:)**


	6. Chapter 6

**hey! it's me again with another chapter! again, sorry it's so short; it seems so much longer in my comp book. i updated again because it seems that some people liked it and since i had it typed up i decided i might as well upload it! well, i hope you like it! i finished the next one today while serviceworking, i just have to type it up :) and it seems much longer than this. but i don't think i'll be able to type it up tonight; i have an AP bio test i haven't studied for (yikes! origin of life and taxonomy and stuff.) ok, on with the story.**

**enjoy! :D**

* * *

"Lily, get your clothes together!"

"No."

"Don't expect me to get your stuff, because when we get there you'll just get mad at me for not bringing the right outfit!" James yelled from upstairs.

"I'm not going!" screamed Lily, from downstairs. James sighed. Always stubborn. It really came in handy—sometimes. Coupled with a sharp mind and dark red hair, her persistence was always something you wanted on your side.

They had just returned form another meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. Just returned to leave again.

Dumbledore had explained to them, they must leave, to protect the child. James had chosen his closest—and longest— friend to be Secret Keeper for their location; Sirius Black. Lily and James were on the run now, planning to stay in Muggle houses, at least until their owners came back. That is, if Lily would stop being stubborn and pull herself together.

"Lily! I know you don't want to leave and I assure you; neither do I. But for the sake of your child; please, please get up here and pack your clothes," James pleaded with the silence. "This only works if both of us help each other." Lily did not respond. "Lily…please… I need you. I need you to do this with me." Nothing.

A few minutes later, the stairs creaked and Lily appeared at the doorway. James stared into her almond eyes and felt the corners of his lips pull up into the ghost of a smile, once vibrant but now gray and weak.

* * *

The young couple bid their cottage goodbye. They could not say farewell to old Mrs. Bagshot, for the Death Eaters would surely come ask, and they didn't want to give her more trouble by giving them a reason to hurt her. Lily grabbed one bag and slung another over her shoulder. James did the same.

Hand in hand, they walked down the stone path. Lily turned back at her house, tears in her eyes. The apple tree she had bought from the Muggle market as a young tree was still standing in the front yard. Bare and leafless, it looked dead in the middle of winter. Lily meant to have the apple tree ready to bear fruit so her child could pick the apples when they were old enough. Lily sighed—it was a lost cause.

Ivy crept up the sides of the house, already threatening to seize the now-empty cottage with it's long fingers. Lily looked up at James. "I was really hoping to spend the rest of my life here."

"I know. Me too."

"I'm really gonna miss it," she sniffed. "Let's go."

James squeezed her hand, and they Disapparated with a crack.

* * *

**okay! i also forgot to mention how much i love your reviews and stuff! they make me so happy! you guys seriously make my day when i see them and they absolutely positively motivate me for the next chapter. **

**more reviews and subscriptions are welcome! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

hey! this one is longer than the last two. i'm not so sure if the quality is as good. it seemed better when i was writing it, but now it doesn't seem as good. well, i hope you like it anyways. dunno when the next one will be up. enjoy! :)

* * *

Lily and James stumbled off a side street just outside of Birmingham. James took out a slip of paper in Sirius' handwriting: 742 Evergreen Terrace.

The house was small, but that didn't matter, as long as they were safe. It was Victorian-style, two stories, dark blue, with French windows and a couple steps leading up to a front porch.

"Alohamora," James whispered and tapped the door, which clicked open. Inside, there was a small living room with a couch, and to the right, a small kitchen with a wooden table. A cupboard under the stairs contained coats, rubber boots, two umbrellas, a tool box, a shovel, and other things that come in handy every now and then. There was a small bathroom downstairs, and one upstairs in the master bedroom. That was the only bedroom, although there was also a small office.

Lily and James went to sleep almost immediately, but didn't dare to unpack all their belongings in case they had to leave quickly.

* * *

So far, life on the run had been relatively boring for Lily and James. Nothing ever really happened, but at least they were safe. They communicated with Sirius through two-way mirrors, but otherwise sat around, read, watched Muggle television, cleaned the house, or talked. Lily was still depressed and did not speak much; it was mainly James carrying the conversation and playing the role of the optimist. The house had to be kept clean so the owners wouldn't come back to an unusually messy house. You-Know-Who was always present in the news, although the Muggles had no idea; that made half the stuff on the television depressing, although James kept an eye out for any important names. He often tried to read a few poems to Lily everyday from books in the upstairs office. She ignored every attempt and continued staring at the wall, the ceiling, the garden, the kids that walked by every weekday, carrying their school books. She read often, but James' attention span often left him tossing the book aside. They lived off money they had saved up, and more that the Order had provided for them, although there wasn't much to buy. Both had left their jobs and everyone at work probably thought they had been kidnapped and murdered. Food was not a problem, and thankfully anything they had could be multiplied. Constant boredom occupied most of their time, as they were left alone with their brains to think. Only after about two weeks something happened that reminded James of his old life.

James was downstairs one the couch one morning when he heard Lily screaming his name from upstairs. He followed her shrieking to the bathroom where she was staring into the mirror.

"James, look!" She turned to him, brushing back a few of the hairs on her forehead.

"I don't see anything, Lily."

"Don't you see it there?" She turned back to the mirror. "It's a gray hair, James, don't you see? I'm only twenty and I'm already getting old!" Her face wrinkled with worry.

"That's a dumb thing to say, you're always getting old," James chuckled.

Lily's eyes flashed with anger. "You know what I mean. Twenty-year-olds are not supposed to have gray hair."

James smiled. At least Lily was regaining her former personality.

"Lily, I honestly don't see anything."

Lily pouted. "Look closer."

James leaned in, "I don't see it. Your hair is red, not gray. I don't know what you're talking about. I think you're stressing out too much. _That_ can give you gray hair."

"Don't lie to me."

"Don't worry so much. I know you don't believe me, but you don't have gray hair. Come on downstairs, I'll make pancakes." He kissed her forehead.

* * *

What James had thought a turn for the better in Lily's composure had reverted back to the sullen, silent woman from before. Except she was angry now, and every so often she'd glare at him. This was just what it was like back in fifth and sixth year at Hogwarts.

James felt bad for her not believing him, and wanted to make it up to her.

Later that night, he turned on the TV and started watching a movie. Something about a captain with seven children and a governess teaching them to sing.

"It's The Sound of Music. It was Petunia's favorite." Lily announced when she walked down the stairs and heard Julie Andrew's voice.

"Ah, I remember now. One of my Muggle friends from down the street brought me over one day to watch it. It was his sister's idea, really," James sighed and tilted his head back. "He was a nice guy, John Granger. Dunno what happened to him. Wanted to be a doctor. Smart bloke, too. He was great at cricket.…" James trailed off.

The telegram boy called for the oldest daughter, Liesl. Together, they walked out to the garden. James knew what would happen next.

"_You wait, little girl, on an empty stage_

_For fate to turn the light on._

_Your life, little girl, is an empty page_

_That men will want to write on."_

"_To write on…"_

"_You are sixteen going on seventeen_

_Baby, its time to think_

_Better beware, be canny and careful_

_Baby, you're on the brink._

_You are sixteen going on seventeen_

_Fellows will fall in line_

_Eager young lads and rouges and cads _

_Will offer you food and wine."_

James stood up and bowed, kissing Lily's hand. He attempted to match the characters on screen, but it did not go as planned. Lily smiled shyly and looked down when he tried to pull her up, but she resisted.

"_Totally unprepared are you_

_To face a world of men._

_Timid and shy and scared are you_

_Of things beyond your ken."_

Finally, when she could ignore it no longer she stood up and started dancing around in their own silly way, not quite as graceful as Leisl and Rolf.

"_I am seventeen going on eighteen_

_I'll take care of you!"_

Lily and James danced, trying to imitate the actors but using only what they had rehearsed for their wedding. When Leisl and Rolf started stepping on the benches in the gazebo, Lily and James jumped on and off the couch and chairs in the living room.

James pulled Lily in for a kiss at the end, just when Rolf and Liesl did the same. Lily felt warm and joyful when their lips met. She hadn't felt this happy in at least a month. James' kiss was a spark to her happiness, and she realized that he was the fire that kept her alive.

* * *

yeah, the reason why i added this song was because i just bought the whole soundtrack to the Sound of Music and I couldn't stop listening to it so I decided to incorporate "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" because it sounded sweet. You can check it out on youtube if you haven't heard it before.

i don't really know where else to go from here, so i'd love some suggestions. reviews and subscriptions are welcome!


	8. Chapter 8

Yay! New chapter! I started it on Wednesday and finished it today (Saturday morning).

**To BeckettSimpleton: Don't worry, I didn't take it offensively, I love that you're giving me suggestions. Haha, and I kind of knew the story had to have some fighting in it anyways, I just had trouble figuring out when to put it in (I was planning on putting it in when they left that one house or something like that). **

**Hope you guys enjoy! :D **

**Oh and I got my braces off! :D**

* * *

"Goodnight, James,"

" 'Night, Lily," James kissed Lily's forehead and turned off the light. They laid in silence.

"James, I'm hungry," Lily said.

James sighed, "Not again, Lily."

"James, I'm pregnant. You can't expect me not to eat. And you can't expect me not to want something other than what we've been eating the last month. I'm really sick of it."

"Lily, I'm truly, truly sorry, but there's nothing we can do. You're just gonna have to deal with that."

"But I'm pregnant. And I want cookie dough ice cream and pickles and bacon and maybe some fries on that. And trust me, I'm going to get that."

"Why don't you just put the damn ice cream on the burger?"

* * *

"Put an Expanding Charm on your purse and put our stuff in it. I'm not sure if we'll be able to come back here. We should probably clean up the house and just bring everything else."

"James, that's not going to happen. It's the grocery store. Re_lax_."

"But they're everywhere. Voldemort is everywhere. We won't be safe, I've told you hundreds of times. Can you just please let the food thing go?"

"We're getting the food. Whether you like it or not," Lily said firmly.

"Gosh, I can't believe I'm letting you do this. Well, I told you so."

* * *

Oh, glorious food. Lily's stomach rumbled as she walked down the aisles, full of everything she had been deprived of within the last month. Here's her favorite cereal, Cheerios, and ooh, look at that, doesn't that cereal look good too? It's a sugar-packed child's cereal that normally wouldn't appeal to her, but under the certain circumstances…well, she could buy another box, couldn't she? And look at all the type of pickles…deli-sliced, sweet pickles…mmm, which one to pick? Good thing James suggested they split up in order to get out quicker, otherwise he'd never let her buy all this stuff.

Mmmm…ice cream. Sundaes or sandwiches? Lily paced the entire aisle, debating what flavors. Moosetracks, cookie dough, strawberry, French vanilla, double chocolate fudge, frozen yogurt? Frozen yogurt? Who wants frozen yogurt? She picked up one anyways and continued to decide what ice cream she wanted.

Lily swore. She dropped the ice cream on the ground because her hands were full juggling all the food she was carrying. Lily glanced around, hoping no one saw, just as a tall, thin man with dark hair and circles around his eyes came around with a mop and a caution sign.

"Need help, darling?"

"Thank you," she smiled lightly. Lily clutched her purse and then gave him some money for cleaning up her mess.

He stood up. "Ah, expecting, are we? When's the baby due?"

"Late July or so."

"Ah, yes. My wife is due in June. You'd like to meet her. Fiery Irish girl, hair like yours. Brighter, even."

"Oh, that's lovely. I'd love to meet her, but I'm afraid I'm busy for the next few weeks and won't be able to."

"Ah, too bad," he leaned against the freezer and placed his hand on the top of the tall mop. His left sleeve rode up his arm slightly.

"Is that a tattoo?" Lily pointed at his left arm.

"Ah, no, it's a birth mark. Never wanted a tattoo, and my wife wouldn't let me even if I did want one."

"Oh…I thought…well, never mind. Thank you though," Lily turned her back and went off to find James. She wanted to leave.

* * *

Lily hurried along the ends of the aisles, scanning them for her husband. She started to worry when James was no where to be found. She was searching the fresh fruit and vegetable section when all of a sudden—

"_Stupefy!_" A flash of red light streaked by Lily, hitting a carton of mushrooms on the wall. Mushroom bits scattered everywhere, and Lily ducked from the source of the voice. Muggles in the store screamed when they heard the explosion.

Lily whipped out her wand and crawled around the table of apples and oranges.

"Where'd she go?" the voice of the man yelled out, the same man she had talked to not more than five minutes ago. The man with the pregnant wife and the birthmark on his arm. Not a birthmark, a tattoo.

"Split up, you moron!" a shrill female voice commanded.

Lily's heart thumped like the wings of a hummingbird. She couldn't get out of the fruit section without a fight. She peeked over the piles of apples and located the female. It was Bellatrix, her hair wild and curly, her eyes haunting but beautiful.

Lily stood, "_Stupefy!_" and aimed for Bellatrix, but missed and instead sent pieces of lettuce flying. Bellatrix saw where Lily was, even though she ducked back down. Lily crouched and ran, but Bellatrix ran full out after her.

"_Crucio!_" Lily collapsed to the floor, her back arching and her joints burning. She fought and tried to keep her back straight, but Bellatrix was too strong. Once Bellatrix stopped, Lily began to breathe heavily, her face an angry mask of stone. Her fingers gripped her purse tightly as she lay vulnerable on her side.

Bellatrix stowed away her wand. She had time to fool around some. She sat on Lily's side and yanked back her hair, leaving Lily to scream in pain. Bellatrix leaned in close and whispered into Lily's ear. "You filthy Mudblood."

Lily clawed at Bellatrix's face and slapped her cheek, shocking both women. Lily shifted off her side so Bellatrix rolled off of her. She then pulled the Bellatrix's hair back, bending her neck so her face was in the light.

"You dirty whore, you won't even live to see your child," Bellatrix smiled tauntingly, and with that Lily shattered a nearby bottle of pre-squeezed lemon juice. Bellatrix struggled, but with a determined look Lily poured the contents onto the Death Eater's face.

Bellatrix screamed in agony as her eyes burned and watered. She could not see Lily through the tears, and Lily ran away looking for James. She ran across the aisles as fast as she could, her back aching and Muggles running, screaming everywhere. The doors had been locked and no one could get out.

She kept running across the grocery store, when suddenly a man ran the opposite way, across the aisle. He was short, burly, and had brown hair, and he started running in the same direction as Lily. She recognized him as Rodolphus Lestrange.

"_Stupefy!_" Lily sent a spell down at Rodolphus, barely missing him and instead rocking the shelves. He sent another hex back, and she slid to a stop and reversed directions, going back where she came from. Rodolphus did the same on the other side of the aisle. Lily reversed directions again, and this time he got her. He sent a nonverbal curse that paralyze her legs, and she laid on the floor, unable to move. Lily's wand clattered a few feet away from her.

Rodolphus came and picked up Lily's wand, then dragged her back to the storage room. "Bella! Bella, I got her!" Rodolphus yelled, and Lily could hear his wife's gleeful shriek from across the store as she lifted a Muggle off the floor by the ankle and hung them over the rafters and lamps above. They lay there, limp or bleeding, some conscious but too terrified to move. Lily looked down and closed her eyes in defeat; she could not find her husband, her child was about to die, and more Muggles were dying because of her.

Lily was brought to the back, where she was dumped onto the floor. James' limbs were tied up in tough plastic strips to the metal shelves, so he could no longer move. The Death Eater she had talked to before, the one disguised as a janitor, held James' wand. Bellatrix sauntered in, and the two other male Death Eaters tossed her the extra wands. Lily looked up and saw the red in Bellatrix's eyes, the eyeliner smeared and running down her face. The woman's eyes flashed and she screamed, kicking Lily. Lily predicted where her foot was to go, and rolled over into a rock-like pose, knees on the ground and back protecting her unborn child. Bellatrix kicked Lily in the back and in the legs, while she laid there helpless but still managing to protect her child.

"Get up. Get up!" Bellatrix commanded, but Lily's legs were still too weak. "Get up, you dumb bitch! Now!" she roared. Lily tried to stagger up, but she couldn't stand. "_Crucio!_" Bellatrix screamed, her dark eyes wild with excitement. Lily screamed in agony, and James shut his eyes and tried to block out his wife's pain. When a very long minute passed, the two men hauled Lily up and bound her to the metal shelf like James.

A Muggle walked in, and Lily recognized his blank stare as one someone under the Imperius Curse would have. He handed Bellatrix a kitchen knife. "Thank you, darling," said Bellatrix, false sweetness enveloping her words. His blank stare then melted away as Bellatrix lifted the curse, but before he could fully come back to his senses, she twisted his arms behind his back, disarming him. His eyes filled with terror as she yanked his hair back, revealing his throat.

Bellatrix pressed the knife up to his throat and whispered into his ear as he struggled, "See that? That is what happens when you're not wanted," she pointed at Lily. "And that, that there is what happens when you affiliate with filthy Muggles like yourself and don't respect your Pureblood status," she pointed at James. She stared at Lily, then cocked her head sideways. "But of course you wouldn't know," she breathed into his ear. Bellatrix smiled, then slit his throat. The Muggle collapsed on the floor, bleeding a great deal.

"Rosier, Rodulphus, dispose of him," Bellatrix said nonchalantly, wiping his blood on her black dress. Both men dragged the body out of the storage room.

Bellatrix stood up. "You know, Lily, there's a great controversy with Muggles concerning abortions these days. The magical community doesn't worry about it; after all, there's nothing bad about more Purebloods," Lily inhaled. "But it seems that you have a problem, and we must take it out." Silent tears streamed down Lily's face, and Bellatrix leaned in close and brushed aside Lily's dark red hair. Lily squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't worry, Darling. This will only hurt for the rest of your sorry life," Bellatrix smiled.

Lily opened her eyes and spat in Bellatrix's face. She stumbled backwards and dropped the wands. James saw what happened and focused his mind, concentrating on summoning his wand from five feet away.

"_Accio_ wand!" he shouted, and it flew to his hand, bound by the plastic to the shelf. Once he had freed himself he freed Lily, and she stumbled out and caught her wand, which James had tossed to her.

Lily turned around and aimed for Bellatrix before she could recover, "_Stupefy!_" and Bellatrix lay on the floor, unconscious. Lily and James ran out of the storage room and towards the exit, but Evan Rosier and Rodolphus intersected them.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Lily aimed for Rosier, and his wand flew out of his hand.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Rodolphus yelled, and James pulled Lily down behind the checkout. The spell hit the glass door and it shattered, sending sharp pieces everywhere.

"_Crucio!_" Rodolphus aimed for the couple again, but again it missed.

"_Stupefy!_" James yelled, stunning Rodolphus.

James grabbed Lily's hand and they ran outside together into the morning sun, Disapparating with a crack.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it. Also, if you like Percy Jackson, go to my profile and check out "Why Did You Name Me Nymphadora?". It's a short (completed) crossover between Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. **

**Reviews and subscriptions are much appreciated!**


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